Trailer ramp rubber or carpet?

[Beatrice5]

I want to replace the tatty coconut matting and wooden bars on my trailer but dont know whether to opt for carpet ( or where to source carpet as fleabay search came up with nothing) or rubber mat ( any thickness, pattern , supplier recommendations would be appreciated)

The floor inside the trailer is new but again I was considering a rubber mat on top but how do you secure it down when travelling but also have it so it can be lifted when the trailer is stored?

This is my first time in trailer ownership as I have always been fortunate enough to have a horsey family and used their trailers in the past.

If OH and I unscrew the bars and remove coconut matting how is the best way to secure the replacement carpet or rubber. I am keen to move away from the wooden bars as my filly doesnt like it when her foot part lands on one as she isnt then fully in contact with the bottom of her foot ( I hope that makes sense)

Many thanks for taking the time to read this. Advice and guidance always appreciated.

 

[Spring Feather]

I haven't owned a ramped trailer for at least 20 years so am probably not the person to answer your question. I always preferred coir matting on the back rather than rubber, but I guess there are pros and cons to both. Anyhow I may be barking up the wrong tree here but I thought that rubber matting shouldn't be put on top of wooden floors due to speeding up the rotting process of the wood?

 

[PaddyMonty]

Thin rubber with ali strips every time. Rubber should be glued to ramp (all over) with a quality contact adhesive
Like this......

 

[Nicnac]

What PaddyMonty said. Coir or carpet gets soaked with our lovely weather, makes ramp heavier and rots. OH bought a roll of thin ribbed rubber off fleabay to replace old rubber on truck ramp. It's thin and non-slip as ribs are horizontal if that makes sense.

 

[montanna]

Rubber with ally slats! 100%. Looks smarter, stays cleaner/easier to clean, peforms better IMO.

 

[PorkChop]

I am another who would replace it with rubber matting, carpet doesn't dry off well and can smell!

 

[stimpy]

I replaced the carpet on my horsebox ramp with the special rubber that Ifor Wiliams uses on their ramps. It is light but super grippy even when wet and doesn't need bars. It's fab stuff but not cheap!

 

[Auslander]

Just don't use rubber that isn't textured/grooved. If I had a pound for every time I've gone flying this winter on the piece of stable matting in my muck heap gateway!

 

[Equi]

I have two trailers and one has a non-slip rubber type stuff and one has carpet. Carpet is good for hot days where you can tie the horse up to the side and lay on it lol

 

[wench]

Certain models of trailer you can purchase preformed rubber mats for them. I'd go for one of these if given the choice.

When I was doing my trailer up it's an old one, so couldn't get a preformed ramp and a custom one would have been £££, so bought a cheap Eva stable mat, chopped it to size and fixed it down with wooden batons. Not ideal, but does the job!